dependent meaning
dependent :
relying on, needing help
adjective
▪ The child is dependent on his parents.
▪ The child needs his parents.
▪ She is dependent on her phone for work.
▪ She needs her phone for work.
paraphrasing
▪ reliant – needing support
▪ subordinate – lower in rank or position
▪ conditional – based on something else
▪ contingent – depending on something else
dependent :
a person who relies on another for support
noun
▪ He has two dependents.
▪ He has two people who need him.
▪ The dependents receive benefits.
▪ The people who need support get benefits.
paraphrasing
▪ family member – someone related by blood
▪ beneficiary – someone who receives benefits
▪ recipient – someone who receives something
▪ ward – someone under the care of a guardian
Pronunciation
dependent [dɪˈpɛndənt]
The stress is on 'pen' and sounds like 'di-pen-dent'.
Common phrases and grammar about dependent
dependent - Common meaning
adjective
relying on, needing help
noun
a person who relies on another for support
Part of Speech Changes for "dependent"
▪ depend (verb) – to rely on or need someone or something
▪ dependence (noun) – the state of relying on someone or something
▪ dependency (noun) – a state of being dependent
▪ independently (adverb) – in a way that does not rely on others
Common Expressions with "dependent"
▪ dependent on – needing support from
▪ dependent child – a child who needs support
▪ financially dependent – needing money support
▪ dependent relationship – a relationship based on reliance
Important examples of dependent in TOEIC
Vocabulary examples from the TOEIC test
In TOEIC vocabulary questions, dependent often refers to someone who relies on another for support.
Example of a confusing word: independent (self-reliant)
Grammar examples from the TOEIC test
As an adjective, dependent is used to describe someone or something that relies on others, often appearing in grammar questions.
dependent
Idioms and fixed expressions in TOEIC
dependent on
'relying on', used when someone or something needs another.
dependent variable
'a variable that relies on another', used in scientific contexts.
Differences between similar words and dependent
dependent
,
reliant
differences
Dependent means needing support, while reliant emphasizes trust or confidence in something.
dependent
,
subordinate
differences
Dependent refers to needing support, while subordinate refers to being lower in rank or position.
Words with the same origin as dependent
The origin of dependent
dependent comes from the Latin 'dependere', meaning 'to hang down from', which evolved to mean relying on something.
Word structure
It has the prefix de (down), root pend (hang), suffix ent (adjective or noun), meaning 'hanging down from'.
Words with the same origin
The root of dependent is pend (hang). Words with the same root include pendant (a hanging ornament), pendulum (a hanging weight that swings).
